It’s white T-shirt vs. black T-shirt in “Need for Speed,” a modern-day take on the western where two cowboys from the American heartland trade horses for horsepower. Instead of driving cattle to water, they’re racing to the coast in search of bragging rights and a little old-fashioned revenge.

There’s more to stuntman Scott Waugh’s directorial debut than that, but not much.

When Tobey’s hometown rival, Dino (Dominic Cooper, “Tamara Drewe”), a legit racer, returns looking to hire Tobey’s crew to trick out a vintage Ford Mustang, the boys warn him off, but Tobey does it anyway. Dino stole his high-school sweetheart (Dakota Johnson, soon to star in “Fifty Shades of Grey"), and before this transaction’s through, he’ll have killed her little brother (Harrison Gilbertson) and framed Tobey for it.

Two years later, when Tobey’s out of jail, he swaps that brunette for a blonde with moxie (Imogen Poots, “Jane Eyre”) and puts the pedal to the metal. Tobey has less than two days to get to California and race Dino in an underground grand prix run by a reclusive millionaire (Michael Keaton, whose soul patch is the only real reason to see this in 3D). Dino doesn’t want that to happen. Let the tires land where they may!

“Need for Speed” is a difficult movie to assess. It’s hard to tell if it knows exactly what it is, or simply is what it is. Waugh’s tongue seems as far removed from his cheek as possible, especially when he brags about all the automobile stunts being real with no CGI or models.

This sincerity is both good and bad. It pays off in the racing sequences, but not so much in terms of story. First-time screenwriter George Gatins, who based “Need for Speed” on a popular video game, may be a new dog, but it’s all old tricks. “Need for Speed” is one action cliché after another.

Credit to Aaron Paul for fully committing to this ridiculousness. There isn’t a scene he doesn’t play with the utmost seriousness. Conversely, Poots brings a levity to the situation that’s otherwise lacking once she’s sidelined. Their relationship is more important than the cowboy bravado.

In that sense, "Need for Speed” is “Dirty Dancing” for the Hot Wheels crowd. Once Aaron Paul’s behind the wheel, he’s like the wind.